Do I really have to keep chicks in brooder for 6 weeks?

Pics
Date sort Score sort
Be careful. I put some in coop before they were 6 weeks old. Everyday my husband and I argued because he accused me of taking chicks out. We finally discovered the problem. A snake was climbing up an into coop and eating them
 
CajunFeatherz said:
Most people definitely do not keep chicks inside, at least not in my experience. But I am from the deep south where it's warm most of the year (usually). There are essentially 5 stages for my birds:

1. from incubator to rest bin, which is a Rubbermaid bin with paper towels inside of a dog cage wrapped in poultry wire. It's outside but on our front porch, with a very close heat lamp. If you buy chicks from a store or shipped to you, skip this step. It's just for delicate little hatchlings to adjust.

2. From rest bin to brooder. I have a small coop we use for chicks that came from like a TSC. The top which is the "roost" is used as our brooder, and we wire it off so they can't go down the ramp to the bottom. They stay up here for 3-4 weeks when the weather is warm, with the light gradually moving away from them and panels open on the side to let light and breeze though.

3. From brooder top to chick condo bottom floor: this means they move from it the warmer top floor to the bottom, where it's half wrapped in Visquine and otherwise open air. This allows us to make sure they're adjusting to the outside temps and conditions okay, or if they need to stay up in the brooder for awhile. They are here until 5 weeks.

4. From condo to large coop, in a dog kennel. They're here for a week to reset their home status to the grownup coop.

5. Free range! At 6 weeks the dog kennel is removed and the chicks begin to free range with the adults. They'll go back with them at night to the grownup coop, which is good because by now their old condo is occupied with the next round of chicks.

If you live in cold temps or its winter months, I might delay each stage, especially the final two, a little longer until they were feathered out and okay to be more exposed. But where we live is so warm, that's often not needed unless it's December or January. And the numerous steps help us prevent rapid transitions, shock, illness, pecking, etc. Took us awhile to iron it out but it works great for us now!
Click to expand...
You forgot to tell them, your birds cheep cheep with a southern accent!
 
I have 4 banties and 2 EEs, 5-6 weeks old (one is a bantam sebright, super tiny)... they have been inside without a heat lamp for about a week (house is 68-71°). I've been taking them outside during the day for several hours until temp gets down to about 70 and the breeze starts coming in. Can I keep them outside all night without a lamp if it gets down to about 48-52°? Also, the coop/run is not insulated and pretttty flimsy (seriously... I'd have taken it back of I weren't so desperate to let them outside). Please help!!!
 
Glitterchicks said:
I have 4 banties and 2 EEs, 5-6 weeks old (one is a bantam sebright, super tiny)... they have been inside without a heat lamp for about a week (house is 68-71°). I've been taking them outside during the day for several hours until temp gets down to about 70 and the breeze starts coming in. Can I keep them outside all night without a lamp if it gets down to about 48-52°? Also, the coop/run is not insulated and pretttty flimsy (seriously... I'd have taken it back of I weren't so desperate to let them outside). Please help!!!
Click to expand...
Problem I see, is seperation anxiety you may feel, build a warmer hen house! They will be fine!
 
My 5 chicks are 3.5-4.5 weeks old, nearly fully feathered, and have been inside under a heat source since birth. In the past few days, I’ve been putting them in the run during the day as it’s been in the 70s-90s. It’s still going down to 50 at night though. When can I stop bringing them in and let them spend the night in the coop?
 
icon index said:
My 5 chicks are 3.5-4.5 weeks old, nearly fully feathered, and have been inside under a heat source since birth. In the past few days, I’ve been putting them in the run during the day as it’s been in the 70s-90s. It’s still going down to 50 at night though. When can I stop bringing them in and let them spend the night in the coop?
Click to expand...
Oh, didn’t mention, no electricity or heat source in the coop yet.
 
My chicks have been out in the coop since I got them at 2-3 days old (however long it takes to ship them). They are currently 2.5 weeks old. They have the MHP brooder system and are weaning themselves off of it, even with a window taken out of the coop. (It’s supposed to start raining this week, though, so the window will be going back in to keep them dry.)

With no heat in the coop, you may want to research “wool hen” - user @Mrs. K has some good info there, or make them a huddle box.
 

Similar threads

DuckDuckSook
    • Like
Adding 6 week old roo chick to brooder with four 6 week old pullets
Replies
5
Views
284
tlcmurphy
tlcmurphy
Esrun
Two brooders, should I combine?
2
Replies
11
Views
167
Esrun
Esrun
C
    • Like
    • Haha
Chick enrichment ideas?
2
Replies
19
Views
2K
AinaWGSD
AinaWGSD
Audballmaker
I cannot tell my chicks’ age
Replies
4
Views
998
wrathsfarm
wrathsfarm
F
4-week old chicks are eating cardboard in brooder
Replies
6
Views
755
SourRoses
SourRoses

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom